A Twist
by joedan84
Summary: Chloe and Clark become a couple in the most unexpected way. I'll give you two hints: Chloe's Diary, Morning Announcements.
1. Say WHAT?!?!

Started: July 1, 2002 Finished: July 2, 2002 Last Episode Seen Before Writing: Tempest Disclaimer: I do not own these characters. The WB does. If I owned them I would.No, we mustn't go there now. I'm supposed to be writing a story, not my dreams!  
  
A Twist  
  
Author's Note: Thanks again to my ever so wonderful beta, Zinaya. She gives the most constructive beta imaginable! (AN of thanks to Maryclare after the last chapter!)  
  
Chapter 1- Say What?  
  
"Good afternoon, it's time for today's announcements."  
  
Great. Like I need any other distractions. I will never get this article done.  
  
"Football practice has been cancelled today due to the rain." Alright, moving on. No one cares about the meathead jocks. Well, except their ditzy cheerleader girlfriends. Ouch, that barb stung. Stand down, Chloe.  
  
"Try-outs for the drama department are immediately following school in the theater room." If any of the snobs in the drama department could actually act, someone might give a damn. Come on, I have work to do.  
  
"It's time for 'Students Speak Out.' Today's letter starts out 'I finally admit it. I have a crush on my best friend.'"  
  
That sounds familiar. Maybe I'm not the only one. We should start a club. We can call it the "Ignored Best Friends Club". We can have bake-sales to raise money. We can have 'Broken Heart Chocolate Chip Cookies" and "Invisible brownies". It'll be great.  
  
"'I have a crush on Clark Kent.'" What the?!? No, it can't be. Please no.  
  
"'Pete has been trying to make me admit it for years now. Too bad he won't know that I have.'" Okay, breathe. Chloe, you can figure this out.  
  
"'What would people think if they knew? Clark would probably be disgusted.'" You can stop reading now! Why won't they stop? I can't breathe. Need. Oxygen.  
  
"'That's the reaction I usually get when I even slightly mention something about the two of us. Disgust, or a remark about Lana. Perfect Lana. Or not so perfect?'" I am in so much trouble! What do I do? I have to stop them. Run, Chloe, run! Whoa, missed the door.  
  
"'Lana thinks she can steal Clark by taking over the Torch. She'll learn.'" Why hasn't Principal Kwan stopped them yet? Just my luck, he's probably not even here today.  
  
"'I won't give up until I have him.' It's signed simply, C.S." Oh dear God, I'm too late. So, flinging the door open wasn't a good idea. Now everyone's staring. What do they think they're looking at?  
  
If they had any doubts about who wrote the letter, they just flew out the window. Great job, Chloe. It's not even a letter. It's my diary. My personal thoughts. Who would have the audacity to not only steal my diary, but hand it in to be read over the announcements? When I find out, they'll be so sorry. I have got to get out of here. Walk, Chloe.  
  
"That's all for today's announcements. Have a great day." You best get the laughter out of your voice if you want to live to be a senior, John. I have to escape. I only have English left. English with Clark. Okay, that's out. I'll go to the Talon. Wait, won't that only prove to Clark who wrote that letter? I mean he's dense, but is he that dense? My vote: Yes. Either way I am out of here.  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
"Hey Clark. What's up?" Besides the fact that C.S. likes me? Not much, Pete.  
  
"The usual." If the usual consists of being read a letter over the P.A. system that everyone could hear. I wish I could fade into the walls. Maybe if I wasn't six foot three I would have a better chance.  
  
"How about that note?" You and Chloe have been spending way too much time together. She has apparently wiped the word 'subtle' out of your vocabulary.  
  
"What about it?" Act like you have no idea what is going on, Clark.  
  
"Who do you think it was from?" You mean who else do I know that is associated with the Torch and has the initials C.S? Add that to the fact that Chloe's a no-show for class makes it pretty obvious. I'm not that dense, Pete. Keeping up the charade may benefit me, though.  
  
"I have no idea." Are you buying it, Pete? So far, so good.  
  
"You are really observant, aren't you?" Why are you pushing this? I just want to forget it ever happened. Hopefully Lana won't be turned off by it. I was planning on asking her out this weekend.  
  
"Pete, what exactly is it that you want?" That was rude. I didn't mean to be so harsh, I just want him to drop it.  
  
"Nothing, man. I'll talk to you after the English quiz." I think I hurt his feelings. I can't think of that right now. This has got to be a joke, right? Chloe can't like me. Not Chloe. Not the Chloe who constantly pushes me to ask Lana out, then chides me when I don't. Why would she want me to ask Lana out, if she wants me to ask her out? Because it's a joke. Chloe didn't really write that letter. She couldn't have.  
  
Is it such a bad idea? Did I just think that? She's Chloe. She's pretty. No, she's beautiful. I've never thought of Chloe like this. For some reason it doesn't seem all that odd. What do I do? That shouldn't even be a question to have to figure out. It's not my letter that was read over the intercom. Chloe's smart, let her figure it out. And if it's a joke? Then I'll go back to my original plan of asking Lana out. And if it isn't? Well, I can't think about that right now. 


	2. Favors

Chapter 2- Favors  
  
"I want to know who turned in that note yesterday." Don't make me force you to tell me, John.  
  
"I told you. I don't know. All I do is read them. I don't even get them until it's time for me to read them." Like hell you don't.  
  
"John, you don't want to mess with me today." You better believe it. I will wipe the floor with. No, Chloe. Keep your cool.  
  
"I really don't want to get my butt kicked. That's why I'm telling you the truth. There is no way to know who sent it. All we do is pull them out of the box. Whichever one is on top is handed to me. It doesn't go past that." Someone thought through it a little more than that. Someone planted that note. If I could only find my diary I wouldn't feel so jumpy.  
  
"Fine, John. Try and weed out any more of those letters for me?" Be nice and he might help you out.  
  
"I will take out any signed C.S. or Chloe Sullivan." Good, agree with me. It's in your best interests. Be nice, Chloe.  
  
"Thank you, John." Okay, turn and leave. I need to go get my laptop before English. I have a few minutes before the announcement that signal the end of study hall. If I walk fast I can make it.  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
Breathe, Clark. I can do this. It's the best thing to do, isn't it? Don't go doubting on me now. Yes, it's the right thing to do. Than why am I shaking as I open the office door?  
  
"Hey, Clark. What brings you down here?" John, leave it to him to be all cheery. Give him the paper.  
  
"Can you read this as the 'Students Speak Out' today?" I can't believe I'm asking him to read this note over the intercom. Stop reading it and answer me, John.  
  
"I don't know, Clark. To tell the truth, I'm afraid of Chloe at the moment." Oh, great. Chloe came in here to threaten him. Does that mean that it wasn't really her letter? You know what, it doesn't matter. I need to do this anyway.  
  
"I will guarantee your next article for the Torch gets front page if you do this for me." Chloe will kill me. I'm going to die. Only Chloe's articles, mine, or Pete's ever get front page. Oh, well. It's a price to pay. Death might not be so bad. What am I saying? I'm Clark Kent. It is physically impossible for me to die. But that wouldn't stop Chloe from trying.  
  
"Okay, Clark. Just this once." That's all I need.  
  
"Thanks, John." Now, off to wait for English. Hopefully Chloe will show up this time. 


	3. The Letter

Chapter 3- The Letter  
  
"Good morning. It's time for today's announcements." Calm down, Chloe. Nothing is going to happen. We'll see. And if anything does, you can kick John's ass. Really. Your conscience won't hold you back.  
  
"Today we are going to start off with 'Students Speak Out. I was just handed this note. I was asked, as a personal favor, to read it today. It's from the subject of yesterday's letter, Clark Kent." No, no, no. Clark is going to tell me we can't be friends in front of the whole school. I can hear it now. Bag ready? Check. Keys in hand? Check. Money for coffee? Check.  
  
"It is addressed to C.S. 'C.S. I don't know if what was read yesterday is a joke, or the truth. I only know one way to find out. If it was a joke that someone sent in to make you look bad, please ignore the rest of this." That doesn't sound like a brush-off. All the sudden I don't feel so anxious. Yes, Clark. That was a joke. It might have been a joke played on me, but it was my journal. Every word was my own.  
  
"'I've never thought about us in that way.'" And you don't think I know this? Hello? Lana? 24/7 Lana Lana Lana! It'd be really stupid if I thought there was a chance with how much you babble on about her. Clark, I-  
  
"'Now that I have, it doesn't seem wrong.'" I really have to work on breathing. It doesn't seem wrong? What does that mean?  
  
"'I know I seem dense, but I am not as much so as you think. I would like to give us a chance.'" No. Why would someone do this? This is just another joke. Then why does it make me feel so good?  
  
"'I know you are probably thinking that this is another joke, but it isn't. I'll see you in English. Please come today. Clark.' C.S., I am here to say that this is not a joke. Clark came in personally and handed me this note. I promised you I wouldn't let another joke slip by, and I didn't. That's all for today's announcements. Have a great day."  
  
This is a turn of events. This isn't a joke. But it has to be! But it isn't. This isn't a joke; it's my dream. That's it, Chloe Sullivan is dreaming. I'm really in the Torch office asleep at my desk. I have to get to English!  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
"Did you really give that to John?" Pete, I am in so much trouble.  
  
"Yes, Pete. I did." What do I do? What if it was a joke and Chloe doesn't really have feelings for me?  
  
"Why do you look so afraid?" Pete, you have no idea.  
  
"What if-" Enter Chloe. She looks flushed. Is she blushing? Maybe I wasn't far from wrong. Let's see. "Hey, Chloe."  
  
"Hi, Clark." Here I go.  
  
"Did you hear the announcements today?" Chloe obviously wiped the word 'subtle' from my vocabulary, also.  
  
"Yeah, Clark. Did you really-" She can't finish the sentence. She doesn't look disgusted. I should have believed Ryan when he said that Chloe liked me.  
  
"Yeah. Was it a-" It's almost scary how we can know what each other are saying without finishing a sentence.  
  
"Yes and no." Here it comes. It was a joke. She doesn't like me. I just screwed up my friendship with her and any chance I might have had with Lana. "Yes, it was a joke. But, it was also my words. Apparently someone thought it would be funny to steal my diary."  
  
Yes! Wait, slow down Clark. One step at a time. "Do you-"  
  
"Yes." She's making it very easy for me. No wonder I like her so much.  
  
"Will you go on a date with me Saturday?" Brace yourself for a let down. Try not to wince. She's grinning. She's grinning that contagious, bright, beautiful smile. This is always a good sign.  
  
"I would love to." She would love to. Not 'okay.' Not 'sure.' Not 'whatever.' She would love to.  
  
"Good." That was smooth. Say something sweet. "Can I borrow your notes?" Hey, it worked for Mom and Dad, didn't it?  
  
"Sure." Take the notes and pretend to write them down. Hopefully she won't notice that I already have them. 


	4. Who Done It?

Chapter 4- Who Done It?  
  
"You need to tell Chloe who sent in that letter." It would be so much better if I didn't.  
  
"Why?" I'm good! I have seriously got it going on.  
  
"First of all, she thinks it was me. Second, she is seriously thinking about pummeling me." She would pummel me if she knew I was the one who sent it.  
  
"She'll be fine. She's just happy that she and Clark are finally together." Calm down, John. Chloe's not that scary.  
  
"If you're sure." Don't worry about it. I have it under control.  
  
"I am. It will be fine." They are together. How can it not be fine? This is a day that none of us will ever forget.  
  
"Alright. If she asks, I'm telling her it was you." Oh ye of little faith.  
  
"John, I'll say it one more time. Chloe doesn't care who gave you the letter. All that matters to her now is that she has finally gotten together with Clark. Be cool." I love my life. ::does mental victory dance for the fiftieth time today::  
  
"Alright." Good boy, John.  
  
"I'll catch you later. Bye." I am the master.  
  
"Bye, Pete." 


End file.
